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Oncology & palliative care research

Everything we have read on oncology & palliative care. Each paper is summarised from the full article rather than its abstract, so the limitations are in there too, and the funding wherever the paper declares it.

42 PAPERS · NEWEST FIRST

• RNOther2026Distinct Symptom Occurrence Subgroups Among Patients With Colorectal Cancer: Differences in Social Determinants of Health and Diet Quality.Research in nursing & healthAmong 256 colorectal cancer patients, higher income, stronger social support and better diet quality were linked to being less likely to be in a group with many symptoms. This was cross-sectional, so it cannot show those factors caused fewer symptoms.
• RNOther2026Guidance for Specialised Cancer Nursing of People With Gynaecological Cancers: A Scoping Review.Journal of clinical nursingTwelve international guidance sources cover parts of gynaecological cancer nursing care, but none covers all cancers or all care needs. Nurses should expect to combine sources and point-of-care protocols for wound, sexual, menopause, lymphoedema and discharge care.
• RNCohort2026Depressive symptoms and perceived stress in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing intensity-modulated radiation therapy: A longitudinal study.European journal of oncology nursing : the official journal of European Oncology Nursing SocietyDepressive symptoms rose to end of IMRT and stayed near baseline after treatment. Perceived stress did not rise at end but fell at 6 and 12 months. Unmarried status and PEG tube use marked higher risk.
• RNOther2026Intravenous Smart Pump Alarms in Everyday Hospital Use: A Real-world Descriptive Analysis.Dimensions of critical care nursing : DCCNBaxter IV pumps produced 5,129,505 alarms over 1,102,303 infusions. Most were downstream occlusion, air-in-line, infusion-complete, or upstream occlusion. 99% of starts generated a completion alarm.
• RNQualitative2026Making Sense of the Final Moments: A Qualitative Study of Informal Caregivers' Perception of Good Death in the Bereavement Process.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesFifteen bereaved relatives described a good death in the ICU as painless, peaceful, and marked by brief conscious farewells and family presence. Spiritual rituals and community support provided meaning and relief. Physical exhaustion and visiting restrictions were major burdens.
• RNCohort2026Navigation program: comparison of diagnosis-treatment times among breast cancer patients.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemIn all 359 breast cancer patients, nurse navigation did not shorten overall diagnosis-to-treatment time. Navigated patients waited longer for surgery. When split by insurance, navigated patients had shorter times to any treatment and neoadjuvant treatment.
• RNCohort2026Decision-Making Readiness and Its Influencing Factors Among Lung Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy: A Cross-Sectional Study.Nursing openPatients receiving chemotherapy for lung cancer scored a median 62.00 on a 20 to 100 decision-readiness scale, moderate. Wanting to take part was linked with higher readiness, and conflict with lower. Nurses can assess and target support.
• RNOther2026Developing a Set of Core Patient-Reported Outcomes for Kidney Replacement Therapy: A Modified Delphi Study.Journal of renal careA renal registry consensus chose the EQ-5D-5L and IPOS-Renal questionnaires for kidney replacement therapy. It recommends electronic completion, patient choice of location, baseline and regular collection, and symptom alerts.
• RNOther2026Correlation between physical symptoms and overall comfort in hospitalized cancer patients in palliative care.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PHigher symptom scores were linked to lower comfort in hospitalized cancer patients receiving palliative care. Pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression, appetite and well-being all tracked inversely; breathlessness did not.
• RNSurvey2026The Mediating Roles of Self-Disclosure and Social Support in the Relationship Between Self-Perceived Burden and Benefit Finding Among Postoperative Colorectal Cancer Patients.Nursing openPostoperative colorectal cancer patients who felt more burdened by their illness reported fewer positive changes from it. Social support and sharing worries were linked to more positive changes, but the study did not test whether changing them helps.
• RNOther2026Psychometric Properties of Caregiver Contribution and Self-Efficacy Scales in Cancer.Nursing & health sciencesTwo caregiver questionnaires were usable for assessing how caregivers help cancer patients with self-care, but contribution scores, especially monitoring, were often near maximum. Use them cautiously to identify caregivers needing support, not to compare high scorers.
• PTRNCase Report2026Case Series: Episodes of Care in an Intensive Care Garden-Does Fresh Air Matter?Nursing in critical careICU patients used a garden space for end-of-life care and rehabilitation. Relatives and staff described it as private, natural and supportive, but the report cannot show fresh air improved outcomes.
• RNOther2026Trajectories of Medication Use Prior to Death in US Nursing Home Residents With Dementia.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationMost deprescribing happened in the last three months of life. Hospice enrollment and severe functional decline predicted stopping medications. However, chronic drugs like anticoagulants and diuretics were rarely stopped, while symptom relief drugs like anxiolytics and antibiotics were often started.
• RNQualitative2026Patients' Voices of Care Encounters and Organisational Influences on Existential Suffering in Cancer Care: A Qualitative Study.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesCancer patients described being ignored, rushed, or treated as bodies as causing suffering. Nurses who listened, believed their pain, explained care step by step, and stayed present helped them feel safe and human.
• RNSystematic Review2026WeChat-Based Nursing Interventions in Women's Mobile Health: Systematic Review.JMIR nursingWeChat nursing interventions for women were reported to improve education, self-management and some outcomes. But most included studies had high risk of bias, so effectiveness remains uncertain.
• PTOTRNSystematic Review2026Rebuilding life after breast cancer treatment among Korean breast cancer survivors: an integrative review.Women's health nursing (Seoul, Korea)Korean breast cancer survivors reported persistent pain, sleep disturbance, decreased muscle strength, reduced exercise tolerance and lymphedema after treatment, plus body-image distress, fear of recurrence and return-to-work struggles. Exercise, diet, self-management and surveillance support are framed as possible nursing targets, not proven effects.
• RNOther2026Validity of the Translated Turkish Version of the Tool for Nutrition Risk Screening for Paediatric Cancer.International journal of nursing practiceIn Turkish children with cancer, the six-item NRS-PC identified malnutrition risk compared with dietitian assessment. A score of 2 or more was best: 96.8% sensitivity, 57.6% specificity. Nurses can use it to trigger dietitian referral.
• RNSystematic Review2026Health Service Delivery Outcomes From Nursing in Genomics: A Scoping Review of the Literature (2012-2025).International nursing reviewGenomic nursing was reported to expand access, streamline workflow and support patient decisions in 66 service-delivery papers, but the evidence is mostly from high-income English-speaking countries and roles remain unclear.
• RNQualitative2026Reinterpreting words and making connections: an experience with an educational book about childhood cancer.Revista brasileira de enfermagemChildren, families and professionals described a playful cancer dictionary as a way to understand difficult terms, turn fear into confidence, and support conversations. The study reports experiences, not proof the book improves clinical outcomes.
• RNQualitative2026Noticing and responding to end-of-life suffering in the PICU: A co-designed conceptual framework for nursing practice.Intensive & critical care nursingBereaved parents and pediatric intensive care clinicians described signs of end-of-life suffering that nurses could notice, such as burden, baseline changes, pain, restlessness, lost parent role, and disconnect, and responses like partnering, comfort, and resources.
• RNCohort2026Care trajectories of women with advanced breast cancer at the end of life.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PWomen with advanced breast cancer followed by specialized palliative care in the final month had fewer emergency visits, fewer transfusions, and were less often hospitalized in the last day than women still receiving chemotherapy.
• RNSystematic Review2026The Core Competencies of Nurses Providing Home-based Palliative Care to Patients with Incurable Diseases: A Scoping Review.International journal of community based nursing and midwiferyNurses delivering home-based palliative care need knowledge of disease and health systems, attitudes supporting teamwork and ethics, and skills in pain, symptom, psychological, spiritual, and social care. These competencies span the whole disease trajectory from diagnosis through death.
• RNRCT2026The effect of Bach flower remedies on hope and quality of life in people with advanced cancer: a triple-blind randomized clinical trial.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PIn advanced cancer on palliative treatment, Bach flower remedies did not improve hope or quality of life more than placebo. Scores rose slightly in both groups, likely from study attention. Mild adverse events were reported, and the alcoholic preservative warrants caution.
• RNOther2026Instrument for assessing social network support for women with breast cancer.Revista brasileira de enfermagemA 47-item tool for assessing social network support in women receiving breast cancer chemotherapy passed content and wording checks by nurses and patients. It is not yet shown to improve care.
• RNSystematic Review2026Private Equity Ownership in Hospice Care: A Systematic Review (2012-2026).The American journal of hospice & palliative careHospice care experiences were worse in private equity-owned agencies than in nonprofit and other for-profit hospices, especially communication with families and timely care. Emotional and religious support did not differ. Evidence is limited to six studies.
• PTRNQualitative2026Relational and symbolic process: decisions regarding the place of death in the context of advanced cancer.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PChoosing home or hospital for death was described as a negotiation over pain control, family capacity, and communication. Nurses and other team members appeared as mediators, but the study did not show one setting as better.
• RNOther2026Content Validation of Primary Care Network Assessment Scale for Palliative Care Patients (ARCP) and Clinical Utility in Patients With Advanced Cancer.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesSocial workers found the ARCP palliative care network assessment clear and relevant. Among 148 advanced cancer patients, 80% had networks that met all care needs, but 42% relied on one caregiver. High satisfaction did not rule out fragile caregiving.
• RNOther2026Symptom Clusters and Frailty Among Older Adults With and Without Cancer: Insights From Two Cross-Sectional Studies.Nursing & health sciencesIn older adults, depressive symptoms were associated with frailty, and sleep disturbance was linked to part of that association. Pain interfering with daily life was linked to variation in the depression-sleep association in nursing home residents, but not in cancer outpatients.
• RNSurvey2026Frailty and Social Isolation of Elderly Prostate Cancer Patients: A Chain Mediating and Network Analysis of Illness Perception and Acceptance.Nursing openOlder men with prostate cancer who were more frail also reported more negative illness views, lower acceptance, and greater social isolation. The study did not test whether changing these factors reduces isolation.
• OTSLPRNQualitative2026Head and Neck Cancer Care Experiences of First Nations Australians: Insights From Patients and Carers.The Australian journal of rural healthFirst Nations patients with head and neck cancer and their carers said they needed coordinated appointments, plain explanations, respect for men's and women's business, and support at home. Family advocacy and connection to culture helped them get through care.
• RNQualitative2026Care strategies for people with cancer in light of Uncertainty in Illness Theory.Revista brasileira de enfermagemPeople with cancer described coping with uncertainty by drawing, singing, therapy, phones, routines, appearance, family time, nature, and faith. These are patient strategies, not proven outcomes.
• OTRNSystematic Review2026Caregivers' Perceptions of End-of-Life Care in Brazil: A Qualitative Systematic Review.Revista brasileira de enfermagemBrazilian end-of-life caregivers valued easy team access, family support, and clear talk about death. They also reported overload, financial strain, distrust of palliative care, and reliance on faith and resilience.
• RNPilot2026Pilot Study of Oral Microbiome and Psychoneurological Symptom Cluster in Breast Cancer.Nursing researchIn 22 people with breast cancer before mastectomy, higher symptom burden was linked to fewer unique oral bacteria and more Aggregatibacter, Lautropia, and Prevotellaceae UCG-001. This pilot cannot show bacteria cause symptoms.
• RNSurvey2026Suicide, quality of life, and psychotropic medication use in women with breast cancer.Revista brasileira de enfermagemIn 102 women with breast cancer, 15.7% were classified as at risk of suicide. Psychotropic medication use was associated with higher suicide risk and lower quality of life in all four WHOQOL-bref domains.
• RNCohort2026End-of-Life Care in an Acute Neurological Ward: A Retrospective Analysis of Clinical Practices During the Last Week of Life.The Journal of neuroscience nursing : journal of the American Association of Neuroscience NursesIn acute neurological patients, documented end-of-life care was associated with more opioids and benzodiazepines, while lack of documentation was associated with more oxygen, antibiotics, and feeding tubes.
• RNQualitative2026Family Caregivers' Understanding, Expectations, and Emotional Responses During Transition to a Palliative Care Unit: A Qualitative Study.Nursing openAt PCU admission, family caregivers saw palliative care as comfort and support, but some linked it to death, felt unprepared, and wanted clear prognosis talks. Expect fear, myths, and relief.
• OTRNSystematic Review2026A Systematic Review of Worldwide Guidelines, Protocols, and Health Care Standards for Provision of Palliative Care Services in Progressive Neurological Disorders.Journal of nursing scholarship : an official publication of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of NursingPalliative care guidelines for progressive neurological disorders emphasize symptom management, caregiver support and early planning, but spiritual wellbeing is rarely covered and no guideline addresses all four WHO domains.
• RNQualitative2026Developing personas and empathy maps to understand perceptions of HPV self-sampling in the Somali American Community.Patient education and counselingSomali American women in Minnesota described varied reasons for avoiding cervical screening, from trauma and modesty to lack of knowledge. Nurses and providers may use these six patient personas to tailor education and offer HPV self-sampling, rather than assuming a single barrier.
• RNOther2026Construction of an Appropriate Needs Assessment Indicator System for Venous Access Devices in Patients With Septic Shock Based on Fluid Treatment Characteristics: A Delphi Study.Nursing openExperts agreed on a staged venous access assessment system for ICU nurses treating septic shock: match devices to resuscitation, optimization, stabilization, and evacuation needs. It is not tested in patients.
• RNQualitative2026Why Women Don't Return: Nurse Perspectives on Follow-Up Care After Abnormal Cervical Cancer Screening Results in Mississippi's Public Health System.Public health nursing (Boston, Mass.)Nurses described barriers to women returning after abnormal cervical screening: low health literacy, cost, unreliable contact information, language barriers, staffing limits, poor EHR use, and limited specialty care. They suggested targeted education, proactive outreach, language support, staffing and training, and EHR tools.
• RNOther2026Lung Cancer Pain Quality Descriptors: More Similarities Than Differences by Patient Characteristics.Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management NursesLung cancer patients chose many pain-quality words, and age, sex, race, education, or cancer stage changed choices little. Nurses can use those words to ask whether pain feels nerve-related, tissue-related, emotional, or burdensome.
• RNOther2026Use of the Neuman Systems Model in women's health: a scoping review.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PNurses used the Neuman Systems Model to organize women’s health care around stressors, lines of defense, and prevention. Only 19 studies were found, and most used parts of the model, not all elements.